Sukarso sculpts head turners from dry, barren coconuts<\/p>\n
By Agus Maryono and Ngudi Utomo<\/p>\n
PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): Plant diseases and other
\nscourges can rob coconuts of juice and their flesh, the solid
\nwhite lining of the inner shell.<\/p>\n
Dry, barren coconuts like these, simply a bundle of thick
\nfibers covering the small shell, are usually used as firewood or
\ntossed away. They cannot be used to grow a new plant.<\/p>\n
But they are a living for Sukarso, 50, from Purwokerto,
\nCentral Java. Using his talent, he turns them into highly
\nartistic coconut shell sculptures of the human head. It is a
\ntalent he shares only with his teenage son, which increases the
\nsale value of their creation.<\/p>\n
Most of his sculptures take the form of heads with manes of
\nhair. The thick fibers of the coconut, usually used to make a
\nfire, are styled into hair. But because they appear like
\ndecapitated heads, children usually turn on their heels at the
\nsight of them displayed outside Sukarso's home.<\/p>\n
Many out-of-town art enthusiasts are more welcoming.<\/p>\n
"I have received many orders, but most come from outside
\nPurwokerto. Only a few of the locals would like to buy my
\nsculptures," Sukarso told The Jakarta Post at his house-cum-
\nworkshop. He works together with his son, Wawan Darmawan, 18.<\/p>\n
He also receives a few orders from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"Some of the locals here also take my sculptures to Jakarta
\nand sell them there." They usually purchase from 20 to 30, and
\nsell them over a month's period in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Sukarso sells a sculpture for Rp 15,000, but he does not know
\nhow much each costs in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He came upon his talent by chance while observing his father.<\/p>\n
"When I was 10, I happened to see my father throw away some
\njuiceless, fleshless coconuts. He later told me that the fibers
\nof these coconuts were difficult to remove from the shells. It
\nstruck me then that I could turn this kind of coconut into a
\nsculpture. I tried to make one and I was successful.<\/p>\n
"I believe God has shown me the right way to earn a living,"
\nhe said. He earns enough to feed his wife and 10 children.<\/p>\n
Wawan, his eldest child, is only a junior high school graduate
\nbut he said he had some savings. "My sculptures are comparable to
\nmy father's."<\/p>\n
To make the sculpture, Sukarso uses a cutter and a small
\nknife, locally called pemes. The knife carves out the eyes, ears
\nand other human features. A cutter is used to refine the parts
\nlater.<\/p>\n
Sukarso makes heads either with the ears visible or covered by
\nhair.<\/p>\n
"When I make a sculpture of a head with the ears covered by
\nthe hair, I will first cut the nose part and then the mouth part,
\nthe eyes and finally the hair."<\/p>\n
When he makes a sculpture of a human head with visible ears,
\nhe first creates the part of the face seen from one side (the
\ncheek) and then the ears, nose, mouth, eyes and finally the hair.<\/p>\n
"As ears generally look more prominent than the other parts of
\nthe face, these are usually worked on first of all."<\/p>\n
After the features have been complete, he rubs it with
\nsandpaper and applies a coat of varnish. The sandpaper must be
\nwet before it is used.<\/p>\n
"I usually varnish the sculpture ten times to make sure that
\nit is really satisfactory."<\/p>\n
It takes him an average of two days to make a sculpture.
\n"Thank God Wawan now helps me. With his help I can now produce 30
\nsculptures a month," he said, adding that he could sell that
\nquantity in a month.<\/p>\n
His sculptures are also available at the Baturaden tourist
\nsite, about 15 km off his house "but I don't know how much they
\nsell for there".<\/p>\n
Sales have dipped in the crisis.<\/p>\n
"Now I can sell only about 20 sculptures a month," he
\nadmitted. Despite this decline in sales, he said that he
\nmaintained his productivity level. "Who knows someone will come
\nsome day to buy all these sculptures."<\/p>\n
Sukarso said villagers supply him with the coconuts. "Many
\nvillagers come to my place to sell barren coconuts to me." He
\npays Rp 1,000 for each.<\/p>\n
"Sometimes I have to find these coconuts in the surrounding
\nvillages if I happen to receive a lot of orders while my supplies
\nof coconuts are low."<\/p>\n
Not all coconut plants produce barren fruit. "If a coconut
\ntree has this kind of coconut, there may be only one such
\ncoconut. But once I got 12 of the coconuts from a tree," he said.<\/p>\n
"Thank God that although these juiceless and fleshless
\ncoconuts are difficult to find, my stock has never run out. God
\nis indeed most fair," he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sukarso-sculpts-head-turners-from-dry-barren-coconuts-1447893297",
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